New Year Miracle Spotting of Rare Orca Whales

It was a true New Year miracle today as we had a rare spotting of seven Orca whales off the coast of Long Beach this afternoon. My family had just spent the morning at the park, followed by a relaxing lunch when we got the media alert that Orca whales had just been spotted off the coast of Long Beach. We grabbed our jackets, cameras and headed down to catch the last boat out of the harbor with hopes that we would also have the opportunity to see these majestic creatures in their natural environment.

My children had only thought of Orca whales as splashing water on them and performing to music in an aquarium at Sea World. They had never envisioned them as wild creatures living in our beautiful ocean until today.

The sun was starting to set, and we were all getting worried that the pod of whales had left the area until we saw the first spout of water come splashing out of the ocean. It was one of the most beautiful sights of my lifetime as the whales played in the waters around our boat for over an hour.

The sun had set, and the sky was starting to turn black when we had the most magical part of the trip happen. Out of the black sea, the family of whales gave us one last performance of a lifetime as they swam around the bow of the boat right next to us before diving deep into the sea underneath the boat.

The guests on our boat gathered in the galley while the boat headed back to the harbor, with the moon shining down upon the crystalline water.

The grey whales are currently swimming in the waters off our coast as part of their predictable migration pattern, but they are not sure why there are so many rare whale sightings lately. Not only have Orca’s been spotted like we saw today, but also the rare sperm whale.

If you have been thinking about taking your children whale watching, now is the time for them to have an experience they will never forget.

We recommend taking your children on a Harbor Breeze Cruise out of Long Beach Harbor. On every ship are staff from the Aquarium of the Pacific to help make every cruise an educational experience for children. The Aquarium staff help to talk about the whales and will answer any questions that your children have while aboard the boat.

Harbor Breeze Cruises is located right next to the Aquarium of the Pacific at 100 Aquarium Way #2 in Long Beach. Adults are $35, children under the age of 12 are $25 and Seniors are $30. Reservations are recommended by calling 562-432-4900.